Foldable and suspendable garment hanger or the like



y 2, 1944. H. E. H OFFMAN 2,347,949

FOLDABLE AND SUSPENDABLE GARMENT HANGER OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 12, 1941 h INVENTOR 22 TTORNEY Patented May 2, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDABLE AND SUSPENZDABLE GARMENT HANGER OR THE LIKE Herbert E. Hoffman, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application December 12, 1941, Serial No. 422,642

3 Claims.

This invention relates to racks or garment hangers, which ordinarily comprise a yoke or frame formed with a cross rod over which a garment is folded. I

The object of this invention is to provide means which will automatically clamp or lock the garment in position on its supporting rod.

Another object is to use an extremely simple construction to save the cost of manufacture and material.

A still other object is to provide a rack which can be easily and readily folded up to be accommodated in a small space of a travelling bag or in a package suitable for mailing or shipment.

A still other object is to provide a combination garment hanger having a flexible garment supporting yoke, a cross member for the support of an additional garment, such as pants, skirts or the like and means cooperating with said cross member for clamping said additional garment in supported position.

With this and other objects in view my invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as wil1 be hereinafter more fully described and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing which constitutes part of this specification and in Which similar reference characters denote corresponding parts.

Figure l is an elevation of one embodiment of my improved garment hanger;

Figure 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figures 3 to 5 are elevations of other modifications of my device;

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevation of a detail of the modification shown in Figure 5, partly in section; and

Figure 7 is a similar elevation of another modification of the same detail.

Referring to the drawing and first to the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2, the rack It comprises the usual suspension hook II or the like and a frame I2 formed by a flexible strap I3 doubled upon itself and which in its middle is tied or otherwise fastened to the hook II. The strap I3 may be formed of cord or any other suitable flexible material. Fastened to the ends of the strap I3 is the garment supporting rod I4 which to this end is provided at its extremities with cross bores I ia through which said ends pass and in which they are fastened by pins I5 or in any other suitable manner.

When the frame I2 is suspended by means of its hook II the branches or legs of the strap I3 will be tensioned and with the rod I 4 equilateral triangle.

slidably mounted on said branches of the strap i3 is a second rod I6 substantially of the same length as rod I4 and which to this end is provided at its extremities with bores Ifia. second rod will tend, when the device is suspended, by its own gravity, to slide down, and owing to the obliquity of the branches of the strap relative to said rods and the tension imparted to them by the Weight of the supporting rod I4 and that of the garment folded around the latter will be prevented from self rising and thus act as a clamp, securing the garment in its supported position.

To disengage the garment from the rack it is only necessary to lift the lower rod I4 thereby slackening the straps and permitting the clamping rod I6 of being lifted from its locking position.

In the modifications shown in Figures 3 and 4 the frame of the rack is composed of a rigid member, such as a yoke I'I, according to Figure 3, or a triangular plate I8, according to Figure 4, and two straps I 9, I9 of uniform length one at each of the lower ends of said frames and the rods hi and I5 of somewhat longer size than the largest width of said frames, so that the straps I 9 when attached to the extremities of said rod M will extend obliquely thereto. The second rod I6 acting as a clamp is slidably mounted on said straps or cords I9 in a similar manner to that shown in the first modification. 29 denote sleeves or the like of some suitable material mounted on one of the rods I I (I6) to prevent the garment from slipping ofi the supporting rod.

The construction shown in Figure 1 can be conveniently folded and. accommodated in a small space of a travelling bag or for shipping purposes. However, to make the device more collapsible, the supporting and clamping rods may be made each in two or more sections, and one of these sections may be provided with a socket or sleeve 2i, to receive the adjacent end of the adjoining section, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

In the modification shown in Figure 7 the sections of the rods are made to telescope in one another. In this case one of sections, 22 may be provided at its inner end with a suitable spring catch 23 while the other section 22a at its inner end has an aperture 2% to engage said catch.

form an This s Thus when the rods 22, 22a are in extended position they will become locked in that position.

The flexible elements or cords l3 of Figure 1 may, of course be used as ordinary hangers for the support of a dress, coat or the like. In such case the flexible means, under the weight of said garment, will tend to conform with the shape of the shoulders of said garment, so that one and the same garment hanger can be used for differently shaped and sized garments.

Various other changes .may be made in the construction of my device without departing from the principle of my invention. I, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to any detail described and shown.

What I claim is:

1. A self clamping garment hanger or rack comprising flexible suspension elements radiating relative a central apex in opposite directions, a rigid garment supporting member, means at the ends of said member for permanently fixing it to the 'bottom ends of said flexible elements, said member being located in the same vertical plane with said flexible elements, so that when said hanger is suspended and a garment is hung around said member said flexible elements will be-tensioned, and a rigid clamping member having transversal bores at its ends slidably engaging said flexible elements, said clamping member being automatically urged by the vertical component of the forces acting between said tensioned elements and said clamping member into a clamping relationship with said garment supporting member.

2. A self clamping hanger or rack comprising a rigid suspension means, flexible elements extending laterally and downwardly in opposite directions from said suspension means, a rigid garment supporting member, means at the ends of said member for fixing it to the bottom ends of said flexible elements, said member being located in the same vertical plane with said flexible elements, so that when said hanger is suspended and said member is pulled downwardly by the weight of a garment thereon said flexible elements'will be tensioned, and a rigid clamping member having bores at its ends slidably engaging said flexible elements and being automatically urged by said tensioned elements into a clamping relationship with said garment supporting member.

3. A self clamping garment hanger or rack comprising a rigid suspension means, including a rigid yoke shaped member, flexible elements attached to the ends of said yoke and extending therefrom downwardly and laterally in opposite directions, a rigid garment supporting member,

a means attached at its ends for permanently fix- 

